Examine individual changes

'{{short description|Texas legislator}} {{Cleanup bare URLs|date=May 2023}} {{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Bryan Slaton by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Slaton at the 2022 Hazlitt Summit hosted by [[Young Americans for Liberty]] Foundation | name = Bryan Slaton | state_house = Texas | district = 2nd | term_start = January 12, 2021 | term_end = May 8, 2023 | predecessor = [[Dan Flynn (politician)|Dan Flynn]] | successor = TBD | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|2|2}} | birth_place = [[Mineola, Texas]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | alma_mater = [[Ouachita Baptist University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br/>[[University of North Texas]] (BA)<br/> [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] ([[Master of Divinity|M.Div.]]) | occupation = Pastor; Financial Services | spouse = Sharmen | children = 2 | residence = [[Royse City, Texas|Royse City]], [[Texas]], U.S. | website = https://bryanslaton.com/ }} '''Bryan Lee Slaton''' (born February 2, 1978)<ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/166532/bryan-slaton|title=Bryan Slaton's Biography|publisher=votesmart.org|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref> is a former [[pastor]] and American politician. Slaton represented the 2nd District in the [[Texas House of Representatives]] from 2021 to 2023 when he was EXPELLED for being a gross creep. RIP BOZO!!!!! A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], Slaton also works for his family business, Slaton Financial Services. On May 9, 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted unanimously to expel Slaton as a member in the first such action of that kind since 1927. RIP BOZO!!! A few day earlier he had resigned his House membership, but absent being expelled would have technically continued to be a House member and to draw his salary and other benefits until a successor could be elected.<ref name=Autullo>{{cite news |last1=Autullo |first1=Ryan |title=Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton resigns after giving alcohol to, having sex with 19-year-old aide |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/05/08/texas-rep-bryan-slaton-resigns-after-sex-alcohol-misconduct-with-aide/70196879007/ |access-date=May 9, 2023 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=May 9, 2023}}</ref> Slaton's expulsion was unanimously recommended by the Texas House Committee on General Investigating, which concluded after an investigation that in one incident on March 31 or April 1, 2023, Slaton provided alcohol to, and had sex with a 19-year old female legislative aide under his employ, who "was unable to give effective consent".<ref name=Autullo/> The committee also concluded that Slaton later showed a threatening email to his aide and told her not to discuss the incident, and similarly Slaton asked another lawmaker not to discuss the incident.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vertuno |first1=Jim |title=Texas lawmaker resigns ahead of misconduct expulsion vote |url=https://apnews.com/article/texas-lawmaker-slaton-misconduct-resigns-db74e2f7f068a349afab9f19c776413c |access-date=May 9, 2023 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 8, 2023}}</ref> ==Early life, education, and career== Slaton was born in [[Mineola, Texas]].<ref name="AB4TX11172020">[https://bryanslaton.com/about-bryan/ About Bryan], Bryan Slaton for Texas campaign. Retrieved November 17, 2020.</ref> He attended [[Ouachita Baptist University]], where he received a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in youth ministry and speech communication. He then attended [[University of North Texas]] and earned a degree in accounting.<ref name="AB4TX11172020"/> Slaton later earned a [[Master of Divinity]] from [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]].<ref name="AB4TX11172020"/> He served in the ministry as a youth and family minister for 13 years, for three of those years at River Hills Baptist Church in [[Corpus Christi, Texas]].<ref name="AB4TX11172020"/> Bryan works for his brother's small business, Slaton Financial Services.<ref name="AB4TX11172020"/> ==Career== In 2016, Slaton filed to run against incumbent state representative [[Dan Flynn (politician)|Dan Flynn]]. On March 1, 2016, Slaton narrowly lost to the incumbent in the Republican primary. Flynn polled 14,917 votes (51 percent) to Slaton's 14,336 (49 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar01_273_state.htm?x=0&y=6692&id=875|title=Republican primary returns|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|date=March 1, 2016|access-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306124616/https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar01_273_state.htm?x=0&y=6692&id=875 |archive-date=March 6, 2016}}</ref> In 2018, Slaton decided to take on the incumbent again. In the 2018 primary election, Flynn defeated Slaton again, 11,803 (51.7 percent) to 11,013 (48.3 percent). However, on July 14, 2020, Slaton defeated Flynn by a 22-point margin in the Republican primary runoff, forcing the incumbent into a runoff election.<ref>Pollock, Cassandra & Reese Oxner. [https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/14/texas-house-incumbents-runoff/ Three Texas House incumbents — Bryan Slaton, Anna Eastman and J.D. Sheffield — lose in primary runoffs], ''[[Texas Tribune]]'', July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.</ref><ref>Rowen, Ben. [https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/texas-primary-runoff-results-2020/ Roundup: Texas Primary Runoffs 2020], ''[[Texas Monthly]]'', July 15, 2020.</ref> Slaton ran to Flynn's right.<ref>Haslet, Mark. [https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/dan-flynn-bryan-slaton-compete-in-july-14-gop-primary-runoff/ Dan Flynn, Bryan Slaton Compete In July 14 GOP Primary Runoff], ''[[Texas Standard]]'', July 9, 2020.</ref> Slaton criticized Flynn for unnecessary and superfluous spending.<ref name="TSWaltens05022020">Waltens, Brandon. [https://texasscorecard.com/state/runoff-review-incumbent-dan-flynn-faces-bryan-slaton-head-to-head/ Runoff Review: Incumbent Dan Flynn Faces Bryan Slaton Head-To-Head], ''Texas Scorecard'', May 2, 2020.</ref> He sent out mail which pointed out Flynn's campaign-funded lifestyle expenses such as nearly $14,000 in spending on cookies and using his campaign fund to pay for a Netflix subscription.<ref name="TSWaltens05022020"/> Slaton campaigned on abolishing property taxes, ending overly broad laws that give government excess power during emergencies, and pledging to oppose any tax increase.<ref name="TSWaltens05022020"/> In March 2021, Slaton introduced a bill that would abolish [[abortion]] and make it a criminal act, whereby women and physicians who received and performed abortions, respectively, could receive the [[capital punishment|death penalty]]. The bill made no exceptions for [[rape]] or [[incest]]; it did provide exemptions for [[ectopic pregnancy|ectopic pregnancies]] that threaten the life of the woman "when a reasonable alternative to save the lives of both the mother and the unborn child is unavailable."<ref name="Abortions">{{cite web |last1=Najmabadi |first1=Shannon |title=Another Texas GOP Lawmaker Is Attempting to Make Abortion Punishable by the Death Penalty |url=https://www.wltx.com/article/news/national/texas-gop-lawmaker-is-attempting-to-make-abortion-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/501-224aad46-8bc1-4ccf-8842-f9787e4fe00c |website=News 19/WLTX |access-date=14 March 2021 |date=11 March 2021}}</ref> In June 2022, Slaton said in a social media post that he planned to introduce legislation in the 2023 legislative session that would ban minors from [[drag show]]s in Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Will DuPree |first=Nexstar Media Wire |date=2022-06-06 |title=Texas lawmaker proposes banning drag shows in presence of minors |url=https://thehill.com/news/3513618-texas-lawmaker-proposes-banning-drag-shows-in-presence-of-minors/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> Slaton declared in an interview that year: "Children don't need to be focused on sex and sexualization, and we need to let them just grow up to be children and let them do that as they’re getting closer to being an adult".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Olga |last2=Swenson |first2=Ali |title=Drag story hour hosts, under attack, dig in their heels |url=https://apnews.com/article/drag-story-hour-hosts-e1ad3ff0dd73e2e66d98190d00568a1e |access-date=May 7, 2023 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=June 19, 2022}}</ref> Slaton supports a ban on Democrats being given committee chairmanships as long as the Republicans hold the majority of seats in the Texas House.<ref>Johnson, Brad. [https://thetexan.news/the-back-mic-legislators-opposed-to-democratic-chairs-listed-rep-moody-quells-da-appointment-rumors-house-rules-discussed/ The Back Mic: Legislators Opposed to Democratic Chairs Listed, Rep. Moody Quells DA Appointment Rumors, House Rules Discussed], ''The Texan'', December 9, 2022.</ref> On December 6, 2022, Slaton proposed a rule change to the Texas House Administration Committee that would end Democrats receiving committee chairmanships. These chairmanships enable them to kill conservative priority legislation.<ref>Henry, Sydnie. [https://texasscorecard.com/state/state-rep-slaton-proposes-house-rule-to-eliminate-democrat-committee-chairs/ State Rep. Slaton Proposes House Rule to Eliminate Democrat Committee Chairs], ''Texas Scorecard'', December 6, 2022.</ref> On February 27, 2023, Slaton introduced HB 2889, which would allow a tax credit for married residents of Texas that would increase as the number of children increases, either by procreation or adoption.<ref>[https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB2889/2023 HB 2889]</ref> On March 6, 2023, Slaton introduced HB 3596, the "Texas Independence Referendum Act" (TEXIT),<ref> [https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3596/2023 Texas House Bill 3596]. TX State Legislature page for HB3596. Retrieved March 6, 2023.</ref> which would allow for a referendum to investigate the [[Texas secession movements|secession of Texas from the U.S.]] The U.S. Supreme Court case ''[[Texas v. White]]'' ruled in 1869 that the Constitution did not permit states to unilaterally secede from the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Ramirez|first=Nikki McCann|date=March 6, 2023|title= Texas Republican Introduces Bill Calling for Vote on Secession|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/texas-republican-bill-secession-referendum-1234691622/|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=March 6, 2023}}</ref> == Personal life == Slaton married his second and current wife in 2017;<ref>https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/04/bryan-slaton-hearing-general-investigating-texas-legislature/</ref> divorce proceedings were initiated in April 2022 and withdrawn in November 2022.<ref name=Svitek>{{cite news |last1=Despart |first1=Zach |last2=Barragan |first2=James |last3=Svitek |first3=Patrick |title=Complaint alleges Rep. Bryan Slaton had "inappropriate relationship" with an intern |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/10/bryan-slaton-texas-legislature-ethics-criminal-attorney/ |access-date=May 7, 2023 |work=[[The Texas Tribune]] |date=April 10, 2023}}</ref> == Inappropriate relationship controversy == On April 10, 2023, a complaint surfaced that alleging that Slaton had an "inappropriate relationship" with an intern the previous month.<ref name=Svitek/> The next day, two fellow Republican members of the House and one Democrat called on him to resign.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barragan |first1=James |title=Two GOP Texas House members call for Rep. Bryan Slaton to resign |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/11/bryan-slaton-resign-texas-legislature/ |access-date=12 April 2023 |date=11 April 2023}}</ref> The incident was investigated by the House Committee on General Investigating,<ref>The Committee consists of five members, three Republicans (including the chair) and two Democrats (including the vice chair), all appointed by the Speaker.</ref> which published a [https://house.texas.gov/_media/pdf/committees/report.pdf report] on May 6, 2023, unanimously recommending Slaton's expulsion from the House, and detailing that he had committed the crimes of providing alcohol to a minor, abuse of official capacity, and official oppression.<ref name=Despart>{{cite news |last1=Despart |first1=Zach |last2=Downey |first2=Renzo |title=Texas House committee recommends expelling Rep. Bryan Slaton |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/06/texas-legislature-bryan-slaton-investigation/ |access-date=May 7, 2023 |work=[[The Texas Tribune]] |date=May 6, 2023}}</ref> The committee found that Slaton had invited a 19-year-old aide, to his home at around 10 p.m. on March 30, 2023, stating that he "did not want to drink by himself"; her friends accompanied her as a "protective measure", with their presence surprising Slaton.<ref name=Goldenstein/> At his home, Slaton provided alcohol to all of them, she testified that she drank a "lot of alcohol", felt "pretty rough" and "really dizzy".<ref name=Goldenstein/> When the friends left Slaton's home and attempted to get to leave as well, Slaton told her that she "did not have to leave if she did not want to", and she stayed.<ref name=Goldenstein/> She later testified that this was "an inappropriate situation ... because I had too much to drink".<ref name=Goldenstein/> Another Texas House legislative aide testified that the aide told her that she had unprotected sex with Slaton; the report further details that the aide bought the [[Levonorgestrel|Plan B emergency contraceptive]] the next day.<ref name=Despart/><ref name=Goldenstein/> The committee stated that according to testimony, Slaton had showed his aide an email that said: "I know you’re sleeping with a staffer. Can you really trust those 20-year-old girls? She owns you now."<ref name=Goldenstein/> Slaton's aide testified that the email made her "really fearful that I would potentially lose my job", and that Slaton told her: "Everything would be fine. Everyone involved just has to stay quiet".<ref name=Goldenstein/> Slaton's aide testified her belief that the email came from Slaton's financial services email account.<ref name=Despart/> The committee stated that Slaton did not deny the allegation of having sex with the aide, Slaton and his attorney did not provide any evidence that contradicted the allegations, and that Slaton's attorney had advocated that the complaints against Slaton should be rejected because the alleged behavior occurred in Slaton's home, and not in Slaton's workplace.<ref name=Despart/><ref name=Goldenstein>{{cite news |last1=Goldenstein |first1=Taylor |last2=Scherer |first2=Jasper |title=House panel calls for expulsion of Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton, accused of inappropriate sexual conduct |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/house-vote-expel-rep-slaton-sexual-misconduct-18083276.php |access-date=May 7, 2023 |work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.is/Rbuy7 |archive-date=May 6, 2023}}</ref> The committee detailed that another Texas House Representative had called Slaton to ask if Slaton "invited a young staffer to your condo and you guys had sex", to which Slaton replied: "Yes, that's true"; later on, Slaton requested that the other Representative keep the details of the call "between us".<ref name=Despart/> The resolution to expel him, which was scheduled for a vote on May 9, 2023, can be found [https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/HR01542I.pdf#navpanes=0 here]. However, on May 8, 2023, Slaton resigned his seat. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-08 |title=North Texas lawmaker resigns after investigation finds he engaged in sexual misconduct |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/05/08/north-texas-lawmaker-resigns-after-investigation-finds-he-engaged-in-sexual-misconduct/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [https://bryanslaton.com/ Campaign website] * [https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=2 State legislative page] {{s-start}} {{s-par|us-tx-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[Dan Flynn (politician)|Dan Flynn]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the<br>[[Texas House of Representatives]]<br>from the 2nd district|years=2021–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{Texas House of Representatives}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Slaton, Bryan}} [[Category:1978 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives]] [[Category:21st-century American politicians]] [[Category:People from Royse City, Texas]] [[Category:21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States]] [[Category:University of North Texas alumni]] [[Category:Ouachita Baptist University alumni]] [[Category:Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni]] [[Category:Southern Baptist ministers]] [[Category:Baptists from Texas]]'